According to Hubei province’s Reform and Development Commission, the first north-south rail line dedicated to transporting coal is inviting bidding; construction work is expected to start at the end of the year.

The 800km line starts at Yingcheng in Shanxi province, passes through Shaanxi and Henan before entering Shiye and Yichang in Hubei province and finally ending up in Shimeng in Hunan province. The project is estimated to cost well over Rmb100bn, as more than 90 per cent of the line will be laid over bridges or in tunnels.

Half of the line will pass Hubei and provincial officials say that the line will bring much-needed coal from Shanxi, Gansu and Xinjiang to its booming industries. It will also allow Hubei to distribute its agricultural products and mineral resources to other provinces.